(Caps Outsider)
A native of Huntsville, Alabama, Nic Dowd’s road to the highest level of hockey began in 2007 when he was playing for Culver Military Academy Prep in Indiana as part of the U. S. High School Preparatory hockey program. In his 45 games in the 2007-08 season, Dowd registered 15 goals and 31 assists for 46 points with the Eagles before the North American Hockey League came calling and his drafting to the NHL beckoned.
Dowd joined the St. Louis Bandits for a short three game stint before being picked up by the Wenatchee Wild in North Central Washington in 2008-09.
He joined the Indiana Ice of the United States Hockey League for the 2009-10 season, tallying 39 points in 46 games for the Ice. His road to the NHL was a long one, considering he was drafted in 2009 – at no. 198 overall by the Los Angeles Kings – but didn’t play until 2016.
He then moved to the college system, signing for St. Cloud State University in Minnesota where he spent four seasons. His time in Minnesota was pivotal in developing his hockey sense and his goal and assist tallies began to climb with 121 points (52 goals, 69 assists) in 155 games for St. Cloud. After being named to the All National Collegiate Hockey Conference First team and being named a finalist in the 2014 Hobey Baker award for the top player in NCAA Division 1, Dowd took his next step towards his NHL dream, signing a one year, entry level contract with the Kings in 2014.
Dowd spent 2014 pushing toward that elusive NHL debut, recording 9 goals and 35 assists with the Manchester Monarchs and landing with the Kings’ AHL affiliate the Ontario Reign in 2015-16. Dowd made his NHL debut for the Kings in March 2016 and returned to Ontario after 5 games. He returned to training camp later that year and found a spot rotating through the third and fourth lines on the Kings roster. Dowd played 86 games for the Kings between 2016 and 2017 before being traded to the Vancouver Canucks in December 2017.
A free agent after 40 games in Vancouver, Dowd was signed in July 2018 by the Washington Capitals. Dowd has currently played 33 games and recorded 4 goals and 9 assists with the reigning Stanley Cup Champions.
He is married to Paige Dowd, whom he met during his time at St. Cloud University.
